24 hours and counting.

[samuelzero]

Only 24 hours before I taste my first ever batch of homebrew (not counting the Mr. Beer kit with the dead yeast packet).

It's an American Pale Ale with Chinook bittering and Cascade aroma and dry hops. I developed the recipe with the help of the recipator. It kind of smelled a bit like Magic Hat #9 at bottling time.

I'm very excited...

Downright giddy, even.

Do you guys remember your first taste of your first batch? Was it anything like you expected?

 

[Walker]

Only 24 hours before I taste my first ever batch of homebrew (not counting the Mr. Beer kit with the dead yeast packet).

I bet you crack into it tonight.

Do you guys remember your first taste of your first batch? Was it anything like you expected?

I remember it almost as well as the births of my 2 kids! It GREATLY exceeded my expectations.

brew on! :rockin:

-walker

 

[Lou]

Do you guys remember your first taste of your first batch? Was it anything like you expected?

my first batch wasn't too long ago, so i remember it well.... it was not anything like i expected, but not really in a good way... it was a stout, and, of course, i cracked one open about 5 days after bottling because i'm not very patient. it got a LOT better after several weeks in the bottle.
i'm sure your beer will be a very good beer -- you'll be impressed with yourself and so will everyone who trys your beer....
:rockin:

 

[Truble]

My first was a Pale Ale, and it was good! I cracked it after 1 week, and kept on drinking it.

My money is also on you cracking it tonight. Hell- I am cracking a stout tonight that I only bottled on Sunday morning. I know it won't be ready, but WTH-it tasted great when I bottled it, and I want to drink one of my own stouts on St Patrick's Day!

 

[Walker]

I want to drink one of my own stouts on St Patrick's Day!

I stuck a 1L flip-top of my stout into the fridge this morning. That's going to be tonight's beverage selection.

Now, I gotta get around and head out for downtown Ralgeigh for a pint of guiness and some good old Irish fare for lunch.

I love St Patty's day! :rockin:

-walker

 

[Jester]

I tasted my first brew last night...!!!!! it was definitely better than I expected and from what I hear it will only get better with age... I am excited about the porter I have in my secondary now... and even more excited about the wheat beer I'm brewing this weekend... fun-stuff...

Jester

 

[samuelzero]

It hadn't even occurred to me (somehow) that I have the unique opportunity to sample my very first homebrew on St. Patrick's Day. And I'm half Irish.

One of those bad boys is going in the fridge the instant I get home.

 

[Truble]

It hadn't even occurred to me (somehow) that I have the unique opportunity to sample my very first homebrew on St. Patrick's Day. And I'm half Irish.

One of those bad boys is going in the fridge the instant I get home.

Now you are talking!

I didn't put mine in the fridge yet, since I wanted to give it another day of carbing, etc. it will get chilled when I get home. ET-open should be around 7pm.

 

[samuelzero]

Mine's been in the bottle for 12 days now.

I'm planning on chucking one in the ol' Frigidaire about 7:00pm, and imbibing around 11:00 if it's cold enough...

I generally refrain from using the silly little smily face thingys when I post, but for an occasion of this magnitude, an exception must be made:

 

[Truble]

word of advice-beer flavors are harder to discern at colder temps. If you want to get a good pitcure of the full flavore characteristics, cool but not cold. Actually, room temp would be best. I normally test all mine at that same temp that they carb at. tonight I am breaking the rule by chilling the stout.

bottom line- do whatever you want



slainte

 

[samuelzero]

Thanks for the advice.

I know you speak the truth. If I'm drinking a barley wine or a scotch ale, I like it a bit warmer. But with Pale Ales, I prefer them colder.

I usually like to start with a cold beer, anyway. As it warms more of the flavors gradually come through.

Happy St. Patrick's day!

 

[Brewpastor]

Reflecting back, my first batch tasted like crap, but at the time I thought it was great. Made all my friends drink it with me too. Hope your's is better then mine was, but either way, keep at it!

 

[El Pistolero]

I'm planning on chucking one in the ol' Frigidaire about 7:00pm, and imbibing around 11:00 if it's cold enough...

Truble's probably right about cool being better than cold, but if you like cold try 30 minutes in the freezer...it's a lot quicker.

 

[mysterio]

Good luck with the first brew. Mine was a Coopers Bavarian Lager, I thought it tasted amazing, but my friends didn't share my enthusiasm! Mind you, I had them all bottled in 1L San Miguel bottles and one of my friends didn't believe it was homebrew at first, which I was fairly proud of! This was November I think, i'm going to mess about with steeping grains next.

 

[Truble]

so.....how was it? I tried my stout last night. it was good, but still rough around the edges. gonna need a while on that one.
My Bashee's brother on the other hand came out great!!

 

[samuelzero]

I ended up waiting until Saturday to crack one open and...

I'm happy to report that my Ale tastes quite good. It definitely has an apricot kind of vibe to it, kind of like Magic Hat #9. I am a proud man at this moment.

The body is a bit thinner than I'd hoped for. I'm thinking of making it again with dme instead of lme, and adding an ounce of malto-dextrin to give it a bit more mouthfeel. I may start another thread to get opinions on the use of maltodextrin -I have to do some searching first.

I wouldn't mind a bit more bitterness as well, though I don't want to alter too many aspects of the recipe at once.

Thanks to everyone on the board for the advice along the way.

I'm hooked.

 

[Truble]

congrats! Glad to hear that it came out well.

 

[samuelzero]

congrats! Glad to hear that it came out well.

Likewise with the Stout. I suppose a few more weeks in the bottles might round out the flavor, but what the hell do I know. I'm a rookie!

 

[Truble]

That is the plan. My Red Ale was the toast of the St. Patrick's day party on Sunday, though, and I have been "commissioned" to produce a batch for a friend's brother. It was the first home brew he had ever tasted. Already started pricing it out for him